Friday, 20 February 2009

Why I accept Form-Criticism but don't buy the Form-Critical theory

Form criticism as a method is not necessarily an enemy of Christianity as often presumed.

In fact form ciriticism has privileged us to recognise and study the variaty of forms and genres in the Gospels.

However Form criticism as a theory is a different matter.

While Form Criticism applies the methods that may be reasonable for Christians to take on board, the theory also carries a number of presuppositions (which I would call blunders) that Christians need to be aware of.

Firstly, it presupposes that the society of the first century was utter chaos, for example, that people generally, were unable to read, passive and unable to memorize, passive and unable to preserve information, unable to remain united or to organise themselves.

This is however completely wrong information.

The ancient world was highly concerned about preservation even among the illiterate.

Secondly, people in both the Greek and Jewish world were able to read and write. In fact the highest literacy in the first century existed among Jews.

Thirdly, the practicse of memorization, recitation and transmission via a chain of successors was a common practice among both Greeks and Jews.

This simply renders the entire Form-critical postulate futile and false.

Form criticism also presupposes that a variaty of forms or genres necessarily idenfies a variaty of sources. This idea has been utilized by atheists and muslims alike in their attack on the Bible.

It may come as chock that form-critical scholars assume that because these vary in their genere, these must be separate sources that the gospel writers must have compiled from various locations, individuals and from different eras of the first century.

Really?

Imagine a surgeon who practicing in a university hospital is involved with both teaching and practice.

Lets say that for one day he will be followed by a journalist who will write down every detail, word and deed for this one day only.

1. In the morning he chats with co-workers, students, friends and patients (this is source one).

2. Prior to lunch he gives a tutor session to a student (source two)

3. In the afternoon he lectures to a group of twenty students (source three)

4. Just before take off home, he is called to do an emergent surgery (source four)

5. He drives home (and of course he drow to work in the morning) (source five)

6. Unfortunately on the way he ends up in a serious road accident which sends him to the hospital, he nevertheless recovers after two weeks (source 6).

When he the book is published a few months later, we decide to apply the theory of form criticism in our scrutiny of it, we most certainly agree that we have a number of genres combined, which to general reader simply reveals that the person engaged in a number of situations and activities each, with in their descriptions require their own identical genre, which suggests that this is one on and the same person, yet, from which the form-critic concludes that this is not the same person.

check out: christianity-answers (website will be available soon)

Click the image and check out The Origins of Christianity: http://christianityorigins.blogspot.com/

A blog that investigates the earliest form of Christianity: the historical Jesus, apostolic succession, heresy and orthodoxy, oral transmission, source, redaction and textual criticism, etc. If you are looking for a more academic argument for the reliability of the Christian faith, this is the place to go

Debunking Qur'anic Science

Click the image and check out my new blog which exposes the claim of Muslim apologists that the Qur'an predicts modern science.

http://www.theonlyway.org.uk/

A Christian-Urdu television program that promotes the Christian faith and refutes the modern Islamic allegations against Jesus, Christianity and the Bible (This website has been attacked several times by Islamic internet terrorists). I truly admire these guys for their achievement in reaching out to the Urdu-speaking community

Sam Shamoun and David Wood on Jesus and Muhammad

Click on the picture and watch these very popular and highly challenging programs which effectively have exposed the religion of Islam

Debunking the Jesus Myth Allegation

Is the New Testament portraying a Jesus who was copied from a range of pre-Christian religious figures? Not really! Click and see this theory exposed and debunked. For a number of websites see: http://www.tektonics.org/copycathub.html , http://www.christian-thinktank.com/copycat.html , http://www.christian-thinktank.com/copycat2.html

William Lane Craig

Click the picture and link to the website and articles of William Lane Craig, one of the best Christian apologists of all time

www.answeringmuslims.com

David and Nabeel engage in a Christian Muslim debate in London 2009

Tekton

A really detailed Christian apologetics website that proves to be a torn in flesh for those who hate Christianity

A Christian Think Tank

A ver very detailed website dealing with the reliability of the Bible, Jesus and Christianity

About Me

Email me at
hoganelijahhagbard@yahoo.co.uk
At the present moment I can only describe myself as a Christian missionary with a MA in theology and a focus on apologetics. I have a keen interest in Biblical Criticism, The Canon of Scripture, Church History, Christian Origins, The Historical Jesus and Religious Dialogue. Read why I became a Christian apologist: http://christianityresponse.blogspot.com/2010/01/why-i-am-christian-apologist_31.html